Methods and apparatus for constructing glass furnace refractory structures

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for constructing or reconstructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and/or glass furnace structures having walls formed of refractory block and buck stays externally supporting the walls are provided. A header support beam assembly is provided so as to extend at an angle between respective pairs of side wall buckstays. A moveable hoist moveable hoist supporting assembly supported by the header support beam assembly and moveable between the opposed pairs of side and end walls. In such a manner, refractory components, e.g., refractory wall blocks and/or checker bricks, may be hoisted into position when constructing or reconstructing the refractory structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus to assist in construction of a refractory structure formed of refractory components having vertically oriented side wall and end wall buck stays externally supporting opposed pairs of side and end walls, respectively, defining an interior space of the refractory structure, wherein the apparatus comprises:
 a header support beam assembly extending at a non-perpendicular angle between respective pairs of side wall buckstays; and 
 a moveable hoist supporting assembly supported by the header support beam assembly and moveable between the opposed pairs of side and end walls, 
 a pair of laterally spaced-apart parallel elongate rail assemblies extending over the interior space of the refractory structure, and 
 a bridge support dependently connected to the rail assemblies for movement in a longitudinal direction of the rail assemblies, wherein 
 the header support beam assembly comprises: 
 (a) a pair of opposed header support beam members that are spaced apart parallel to one another so as to define a space therebetween, each of the support beam members having a proximal terminal end attached to a respective one of the side wall buckstays and an opposite distal terminal end attached to a respective one of the end wall buckstays so as to form an outwardly angulated header support structure relative to the interior space of the refractory structure, 
 (b) a pair of hanger assemblies for dependently supporting the rail assemblies to the header support beam members, wherein each of the hanger assemblies includes:
 (b1) a pair of hanger rods extending through the space defined between the header support beam members, 
 (b2) an upper header plate bearing against upper flange surfaces of the header support beam members, and 
 (b3) a sole support plate for supporting a respective one of the rail assemblies, wherein 
 the hanger rods extend through the space defined between the header support beam members so as to compressively couple the upper header support plate and the sole support plate of each of the hanger assemblies. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the header support beam assembly further comprises a plurality of strap assemblies spaced apart along a spanwise extent of the header support beam members so as to maintain the spaced apart parallel therebetween. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the header support beam members comprise C-shaped beams that are oppositely oriented relative to one another. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising carriages operatively dependently coupling the bridge support to the rail assemblies to allow reciprocal movement of the bridge support in the longitudinal direction of the rail assemblies. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising buck stay adapter assemblies attached to upper terminal ends of the respective ones of the side and end wall buckstays to rigidly attach the proximal and distal terminal ends of the header support beam members thereto, respectively. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the buck stay adapter assemblies comprise top plates, wherein the proximal and distal terminal ends of the header support beams are respectively rigidly attached to the top plates. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the bridge support comprises a transverse carriage member mounted to the bridge support for reciprocal transverse movements relative to the longitudinal direction of the rail assemblies. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an end portion of the rail assemblies extends beyond at least one of the end walls. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the rail assemblies comprise a truss support for supporting the end portion thereof extending beyond at least one of the end walls. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises an adjacent pair of the header support beam assemblies, and a moveable hoist supporting assembly operatively associated with each adjacent pair of the header support beam assemblies.